Pets can have New Year's resolutions as well.
As we reflect on the past year and look forward to the next, here are some suggestions from The Animal Hospital At Thorndale to keep your pets happy and healthy for 2025! We wish you all peace, health and a Happy New Year!
1) Help me trim down. This means avoid feeding me table scraps and too many treats. I may always look hungry but I’m not. I just want delicious foods so I always beg. I do not need the extra scraps and treats despite my dreamy eyes and drool. Overweight pets are like overweight people. They too are predisposed to diabetes, immobility from carrying extra weight which puts extra strain on joints, and ultimately shorter life spans.
2) Help me prevent parasites. This includes fleas, ticks and heart worm disease. Be vigilant and continue to give me year round flea, tick and heart worm prevention that is recommended by my beloved veterinary staff at Thorndale. Fleas can be a nuisance and difficult to manage once they come into the house. It can take months to years to get a flea infestation under control. Tick borne diseases can be fatal. Everyone knows about Lyme disease but there is Anaplasma, Erhlicia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Don’t be duped. There are lots of over the counter flea and tick prevention but these are ineffective and can sometimes be toxic. Only use preventatives recommended by the staff at Thorndale. Have yearly fecal exams performed. Do not stop prevention in the winter as there are still lots of ticks out there! Some may think it is too cold for ticks but with warming global temperatures, our winters have become milder and these wily foes survive the winter.
3) Help me stay on top of yearly examinations and vaccinations. Yearly check ups are just as important as it is in humans. Silent conditions can creep up without you noticing them. Symptoms are often masked by other things going on in busy households so please schedule my yearly check up and vaccinations.
4) Help me stay on top of my dental hygiene. Dental disease is often the most overlooked condition in pets as owners aren’t able to routinely examine their pets’ mouths. This is an important one. Imagine if we never brushed our teeth or never went to the dentist every 6 months. We would have severe dental calculus/tartar and periodontal disease present. Build up of tartar/calculus leads to gum recession, bone loss and eventually loss of teeth. This directly affects your pets’ health and longevity. Regular dental evaluations and cleaning/scaling of the teeth (just like when you go to the dentist) can help save the teeth and keep me around longer.
5) Help strengthen my human bond. Daily exercise and regularly walking me will keep me happy and strong. Help stimulate my mind, play with me or teach me something new. You can also sign me up for a dog class such as a scent class. Pet me regularly. Provide me with a comfortable quiet space in the house where I can be alone if wanted. Cats love heights so providing a cat tree will be very much appreciated. Dogs who growl or resource guard can do great and feel comfortable with being in their own dog crate in a separate closed off room. If you are not sure how to provide a safe spot for your pet talk to the Thorndale staff.
The Animal Hospital at Thorndale is always here to help you with your loved ones! We just want you and your family, which includes your pets, to be happy and healthy for years to come.
